Green Building Consortiums

The High Performance Commercial Green Building Partnership, chaired by ASHRAE, was formed earlier this year to advise the DOE about high-performance buildings in response to a DOE request for such an organization. The partnership is comprised of professional organizations, trade associations and manufacturers. It is not a lobbying group.  Unfortunately, the DOE has not yet formally granted recognition of the group.
Jason Hartke, director of advocacy and public policy for the USGBC, a member of the partnership, says “We would come together and serve strictly in an advisory role to the DOE as it devises programs and other initiatives to advance energy efficiency in commercial buildings.” Another group, the High-Performance Building Congressional Caucus Coalition, is almost two organizations. The caucus is comprised of Congressional members and the coalition is comprised of ASHRAE, USGBC, BOMA, the Alliance to Save Energy, and other trade associations.  Caucus members focus on impacts that buildings have on health, safety and welfare, as well as on the opportunities for design, construction and operation of high performance buildings.  The Coalition members then simply advise Congressional members about the topics.  The group considers cost effectiveness, sustainability, historic preservation and aesthetics with regard to high-performance buildings.